Phil Neville keen to answer critics

Words of wisdom: Neville took advice from his sister and former manager Sir Alex FergusonGARETH COPLEY

Phil Neville has had a rough start to 2018. The announcement that he had been appointed manager of the England women’s team in January was met with disdain and anger; ill-advised, laddish tweets were unearthed and he was called underqualified, unsuitable and sexist.

The furore of the past few weeks has left little room for Neville to voice his quiet enthusiasm and determination, let alone to explain what made him say yes when the FA came calling. The former Everton and Manchester United star has inherited damaged goods after a very public racism row, but he must work fast to put things right as his team head into their last year before the World Cup.

“The gut feeling, having been asked to go for the…

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